Urban Cowboy Reviewed by Mashmont. A Simple Movie For Simpletons.

[Mashmont]

Urban Cowboy could be renamed “Redneck Saturday Night Fever”. Same actor. Same plot. John Travolta is cast uncredibly as a tough guy who sets out to win a contest, becomes involved with a woman, gets entangled in a triangle then emotionally matures in the process.

And like Saturday Night Fever, this movie spawned a slew of musical hits and introduced a huge fad. In Urban Cowboy’s case, it brought country music to the mainstream, and got a mechanical bull put in every dance lounge in the country.

Bud Davis (Travolta) moves to Houston from smalltown Texas, gets a job at the refinery, and spends all his free time at Gilley’s, which was a real live Honky Tonk before it burned in 1990. The movie might also be named “100 Minute Ad for Gilley’s Bar”.

Bud meets Sissy (Debra Winger) at Gilley’s one night. They dance, get along well, start dating, and soon marry (at Gilley’s, of course). Sissy , after being neglected by Bud, takes up with a chiseled country thug named Wes (Scott Glenn). Bud is enraged with jealousy and vows to win Cissy back by winning the big mechanical bull riding contest.

Like so many 1970s movies (UC was filmed in 1979), the one featured sexual depravity; one-night stands, threesomes, and infidelity. On Bud’s first visit to Gilley’s his Uncle Bob sets him up with two leggy women for a night of hanky panky. Exactly what a trusted relative would do, right?

This was a simple movie for simpletons. It showed that mass media can convince people to do about anything. I know in my little area in the mid-Atlantic, dozens of local guys bought cowboy hats and rode the mechanical bull they installed in the summer of 1980 at the Our Place Lounge. They thought they too could get into fights, bed some urban cowgirls, and maybe find a Sissy of their own. Note: This is the same mass media that can convince a good number of citizens that an unemployed Marxist ideologue knows more about running an economy than a self-made billionaire.

Anyhow, Travolta and Winger were both excellent in it. Incredibly, Winger was sent home and told she wasn’t pretty enough to be cast as the leading lady. Thankfully, she was brought back. She looked quite good, I thought. The biggest implausibility imho was (SPOILER ALERT) when slender Travolta managed to beat up a very buff Wes (who in real life did 50 pull ups a day). But, hey, this is cinema, right? Anything can happen.

 

[Moonglow]

And just like Saturday Night Fevah started the disco dancing craze, Urban Cowboy managed to start the line dance craze.

 

[mudwhistle]

Urban Cowboy could be renamed “Redneck Saturday Night Fever”. Same actor. Same plot. John Travolta is cast uncredibly as a tough guy who sets out to win a contest, becomes involved with a woman, gets entangled in a triangle then emotionally matures in the process.

And like Saturday Night Fever, this movie spawned a slew of musical hits and introduced a huge fad. In Urban Cowboy’s case, it brought country music to the mainstream, and got a mechanical bull put in every dance lounge in the country.

Bud Davis (Travolta) moves to Houston from smalltown Texas, gets a job at the refinery, and spends all his free time at Gilley’s, which was a real live Honky Tonk before it burned in 1990. The movie might also be named “100 Minute Ad for Gilley’s Bar”.

Bud meets Sissy (Debra Winger) at Gilley’s one night. They dance, get along well, start dating, and soon marry (at Gilley’s, of course). Sissy , after being neglected by Bud, takes up with a chiseled country thug named Wes (Scott Glenn). Bud is enraged with jealousy and vows to win Cissy back by winning the big mechanical bull riding contest.

Like so many 1970s movies (UC was filmed in 1979), the one featured sexual depravity; one-night stands, threesomes, and infidelity. On Bud’s first visit to Gilley’s his Uncle Bob sets him up with two leggy women for a night of hanky panky. Exactly what a trusted relative would do, right?

This was a simple movie for simpletons. It showed that mass media can convince people to do about anything. I know in my little area in the mid-Atlantic, dozens of local guys bought cowboy hats and rode the mechanical bull they installed in the summer of 1980 at the Our Place Lounge. They thought they too could get into fights, bed some urban cowgirls, and maybe find a Sissy of their own. Note: This is the same mass media that can convince a good number of citizens that an unemployed Marxist ideologue knows more about running an economy than a self-made billionaire.

Anyhow, Travolta and Winger were both excellent in it. Incredibly, Winger was sent home and told she wasn’t pretty enough to be cast as the leading lady. Thankfully, she was brought back. She looked quite good, I thought. The biggest implausibility imho was (SPOILER ALERT) when slender Travolta managed to beat up a very buff Wes (who in real life did 50 pull ups a day). But, hey, this is cinema, right? Anything can happen.

I always thought Winger was homely looking compared to other actresses.
I wanted Travolta to stay with the rich chick...but he went back to Sissy and eating at McDonalds.
But the movie did cause a fad that lasted for at least a couple of years.
And yes....come Honkey Tonks are just like Gillies was.
And the girls are real nice.

 

[Flopper]

Urban Cowboy could be renamed “Redneck Saturday Night Fever”. Same actor. Same plot. John Travolta is cast uncredibly as a tough guy who sets out to win a contest, becomes involved with a woman, gets entangled in a triangle then emotionally matures in the process.

And like Saturday Night Fever, this movie spawned a slew of musical hits and introduced a huge fad. In Urban Cowboy’s case, it brought country music to the mainstream, and got a mechanical bull put in every dance lounge in the country.

Bud Davis (Travolta) moves to Houston from smalltown Texas, gets a job at the refinery, and spends all his free time at Gilley’s, which was a real live Honky Tonk before it burned in 1990. The movie might also be named “100 Minute Ad for Gilley’s Bar”.

Bud meets Sissy (Debra Winger) at Gilley’s one night. They dance, get along well, start dating, and soon marry (at Gilley’s, of course). Sissy , after being neglected by Bud, takes up with a chiseled country thug named Wes (Scott Glenn). Bud is enraged with jealousy and vows to win Cissy back by winning the big mechanical bull riding contest.

Like so many 1970s movies (UC was filmed in 1979), the one featured sexual depravity; one-night stands, threesomes, and infidelity. On Bud’s first visit to Gilley’s his Uncle Bob sets him up with two leggy women for a night of hanky panky. Exactly what a trusted relative would do, right?

This was a simple movie for simpletons. It showed that mass media can convince people to do about anything. I know in my little area in the mid-Atlantic, dozens of local guys bought cowboy hats and rode the mechanical bull they installed in the summer of 1980 at the Our Place Lounge. They thought they too could get into fights, bed some urban cowgirls, and maybe find a Sissy of their own. Note: This is the same mass media that can convince a good number of citizens that an unemployed Marxist ideologue knows more about running an economy than a self-made billionaire.

Anyhow, Travolta and Winger were both excellent in it. Incredibly, Winger was sent home and told she wasn’t pretty enough to be cast as the leading lady. Thankfully, she was brought back. She looked quite good, I thought. The biggest implausibility imho was (SPOILER ALERT) when slender Travolta managed to beat up a very buff Wes (who in real life did 50 pull ups a day). But, hey, this is cinema, right? Anything can happen.

IMHO, the movie "Urban Cowboy" was much better than "Saturday Night Fever" due primarily to the music and Travolta's co-star Debra Winger. This was her first starring role in a major movie. Her performance in this movie lead to starring roles in many major hits such as "Officer and a Gentlemen" and "Terms of Endearment".

Urban Cowboy spurred a pop culture that was immense. Not only did western wear become a fashion fad, but musically, the soundtrack spawned three country No. 1 hits and six Top 40 singles. The movie also made Gilley's, the night club in the movie world famous and made a lot of money for co-owner Mickey Gilley.

 

[TroglocratsRdumb]

Was He Haw the country version of Laugh In?

 

[Moonglow]

IMHO, the movie "Urban Cowboy" was much better than "Saturday Night Fever" due primarily to the music and Travolta's co-star Debra Winger. This was her first starring role in a major movie. Her performance in this movie lead to starring roles in many major hits such as "Officer and a Gentlemen" and "Terms of Endearment".

Urban Cowboy spurred a pop culture that was immense. Not only did western wear become a fashion fad, but musically, the soundtrack spawned three country No. 1 hits and six Top 40 singles. The movie also made Gilley's, the night club in the movie world famous and made a lot money for co-owner Mickey Gilley.

I grew up in OKC and cowboy attire was worn before the movie. The new addition of suburban cowboys made words like "goat ropers" popular.

 

[Moonglow]

Was He Haw the country version of Laugh In?

Well yes.

 

[Flopper]

I grew up in OKC and cowboy attire was worn before the movie. The new addition of suburban cowboys made words like "goat ropers" popular.

Before the movie, Urban Cowboy very few people had ever heard of a Mechanical Bull. They were used sometime in training for Rodeo riding and in few amusement parks. John Travolta was probably one of the first to buy a Mechanical Bull and install in his home. He got so good at riding the thing that he rode it in the movie.

 

[Moonglow]

Before the movie, Urban Cowboy very few people had ever heard of a Mechanical Bull. They were used sometime in training for Rodeo riding and in few amusement parks. John Travolta was probably one of the first to buy a Mechanical Bull and install in his home. He got so good at riding the thing that he rode it in the movie.

I never tried nor did I want to ride real animals like my relatives.

 

[Mashmont]

IMHO, the movie "Urban Cowboy" was much better than "Saturday Night Fever" due primarily to the music and Travolta's co-star Debra Winger. This was her first starring role in a major movie. Her performance in this movie lead to starring roles in many major hits such as "Officer and a Gentlemen" and "Terms of Endearment".

Urban Cowboy spurred a pop culture that was immense. Not only did western wear become a fashion fad, but musically, the soundtrack spawned three country No. 1 hits and six Top 40 singles. The movie also made Gilley's, the night club in the movie world famous and made a lot of money for co-owner Mickey Gilley.

I agree. The leading lady hurt SNF and helped Urban Cowboy.

 

[Mashmont]

Before the movie, Urban Cowboy very few people had ever heard of a Mechanical Bull. They were used sometime in training for Rodeo riding and in few amusement parks. John Travolta was probably one of the first to buy a Mechanical Bull and install in his home. He got so good at riding the thing that he rode it in the movie.

Same thing happened in Saturday Night Fever. There was supposed to be a double for the dance scenes, but Travolta got a coach and practiced three hours a day. He got so good, they let him dance his own scenes.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Never watched more than a few minutes of it when it was on at someone's house or something... however I did want to boink Winger in that role... she was hot stuff then.

 

[Flopper]

I never tried nor did I want to ride real animals like my relatives.

It is not uncommon for people who have ridden a mechanical bull to suffer from internal hemorrhages as well as damage to the spine, pelvis and genitals. For real bull riding increase the risk factor by ten, add being trammeled by 1200 to 2000 lb. bull, and damages to head neck back and other parts from being thrown, and you have an activity that is only suitable for those that are bit nuts.

 

[whitehall]

Travolta played "Welcome Back Cotter's Vinnie" the same as he did in every other musical including Grease, SNF and U.C.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

I always thought Winger was homely looking compared to other actresses.
I wanted Travolta to stay with the rich chick...but he went back to Sissy and eating at McDonalds.
But the movie did cause a fad that lasted for at least a couple of years.
And yes....come Honkey Tonks are just like Gillies was.
And the girls are real nice.

I was lucky enough to go to Gilley's before it was shut down.
The place is massive!!!

 

[Flopper]

Same thing happened in Saturday Night Fever. There was supposed to be a double for the dance scenes, but Travolta got a coach and practiced three hours a day. He got so good, they let him dance his own scenes.

Travolta is a very good dancer. He studied both acting and dancing in New York. His first major gig was a Grease touring show which ended up on Broadway. So when Hollywood was looking for someone to play Danny in the 1978 Grease movie, he was their first choice. Notice how close his high energy dancing in Grease is to his dancing in Saturday Night Fever.





After watching these clips, it easy to see why Grease is still a major theatrical attraction. It will make it's third appearance on Broadway in Sept 2022 and is currently playing in London.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Travolta is a very good dancer. He studied both acting and dancing in New York. His first major gig was a Grease touring show which ended up on Broadway. So when Hollywood was looking for someone to play Danny, he was their choice. Notice how close his high energy dancing in Grease is to his dancing in Saturday Night Fever.

Grease is the only musical that I enjoyed.

 

[Flopper]

I was lucky enough to go to Gilley's before it was shut down.
The place is massive!!!

Have you been to Bill Bob's in Ft. Worth?

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

Have you been to Bill Bob's in Ft. Worth?

Can't say that I have.

 

[Flopper]

Can't say that I have.

It's quite a place, said to be largest honky tonk in the world, a favorite venue for country artists. It contains multiple dance floors, bandstands, restaurants, over 30 bar stations, retail outlets, mechanical bulls and other odd forms of entertainment. It can accommodate six to ten thousand people.